Sealed package for easy opening



April 1935. J. N. LAYCOCK 1,998,372

SEALED PACKAGE FOR EASY OPENING Filed Feb. 14, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 T? 7 47A L l J I 7 l I I I i I April 16, 1935. J. N, LAYCOCK SEALED PACKAGE EASY OPENING Filed Feb. 14, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 oinnnlllllullllllil.

Strum 3o April 16, 1935.

J. N. LAYCOCK SEALED PACKAGE FOR EASY OPENING Filed Feb. 14, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 .UNITED STATES PATENT-" F E" SEALED PACKAGE FOR EASY OPENING John Noble Laycock, Boston, Mass. Application February'l l, 1933, Serial No. 656,742

Qlaims. (01. 220-61) s The present invention relates to improvements in packages which are equipped to be hermetically sealed and consists in certain improvements whereby the packages may be rapidly, safely and 5 V conveniently opened.

" other object of the invention is to; provide animproved closure for hermetically sealed containers whichis rugged and. capable of withstanding knocks and jars incident to transportation, but which will readily yield to be opened when that occasion arises.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a simple strong seam or joint for attaching removable covers to their containers, which seam is not susceptible" to damage in shipment, but which can be opened quickly without tools with a minimum of effort or danger of cutting the operators hands. A

' With theforegoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughoutthe several views,

Figure l is a side elevation of an improved container and cover constructed according to the present invention and in the sealed condition.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on an enlarged scale showing the container and cover sealed.

Figure 3 is a similar. view showing the initial step taken to open the package.

' Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation taken at substantially right angles to Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view with the cover removed and the sealing wedge ring in a lowered position.

. Figure 6 is a top plan view apart from the package.

of the wedge vring Figure 6a is a vertical section similar to Figure 2 but with the sections of the skirt member un- :folded.

Figures 7s8, 9, and 10 are fragmentary vertical sections taken through a modified construction and showing the various phases involved in the opening of the same.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective View of the wedge ring and container according to this form of the invention.

Figures 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 are fragmentary vertical sections showing various further modificationsof the invention; and

.Figure l'7 is a--. fragmentary front elevation taken at right angles to Figure 13.1

eyeSQwhich eyes may be hollow but are preferably rolled over upon a wire core 34. The teeth 33 Referring more particularly to the drawings and for the present to Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, 20 designates the bottom of a tin can which is attached to the'cylindrical body 2| thereof, such can being constructed in any conventional manner-. The topior closure 22 .of the can is secured tothecylindrical side walls 2] bya seam or joint as shown in cross section in Figure 2. The cylindrical wall2 I, is slightly offset outwardly as indicated at-23. and belled slightly outward between 23 Mid, and the upper edge of this outwardly offset upper'portion of the can body .isiannularly turnedoutwardly as indicated at 24, thus providing 'afshort downwardly and outwardly extending skirt which overlies the upper edge of the wedge or freeing ring 26. The can top 22 has a flange 21 interfitting with the offset portion of the can body. At the upper edge of this flange 2 l:the metal is overturned outwardly and down wardly in such a manner as to provide a space 20 above the ridge 24 of the can body in which T provide an interlocking tongue 30. This annular tongue engages in a bightformed by the out- .wardlyanddownwardly turnedtongue 3| on the sheet metal ring 32 which extends about the wedge 30 ring 26.

The lower edge of the sheet metal ring 32 is sub-divided by a number of incisions forming separated teeth 33 which are rolled over to form are bound by a tight band of wire 35 which occupiesa groove orfinde'nted portion 36 of the band 32. The offset part 36 fits into a cut-away shouldered' portion 31 of the wedge ring 26 and thus 40 the top of the can is lockedwith the sheet metal band 32 and in the same way pressure will be exerted by thecan top upon the gasket 28, such pressure preserving-the hermetic seal. The ends of the binding wire35 aretwisted together as indicatedfat 36. When it isdesired to open the container, the twisted joint 38 of the wire is untwisted and the binding wire- 35 is removed. A

knife blade or other elongated object is then run around the can just under the wedge ring 26. This instrument is used to pry out the rolled edges33, as indicated in Figure 3. Thus the teeth are unhooked from the groove and shoulder 36. The'freeing or wedge ring 26, when formed, is provided with a pull vwire'3ll with a button 40 for convenience in pulling. This wedge ring, as shown in Figure 4, is a split ring and the end carrying the pull tab is shown as drawn down in Figure 4. It is easy to pull down this end of the freeing ring for the reason that only friction holds it in place after the teeth 33 have been pried out.

Due to the tapered cross-sectional form of the ring 26, it may be readily removed by pulling on the button 40; The wedge or freeing ring 26 has an under-cut notch 4| therein atone point to receive the hooked tongue 42 of the skirt 25 of the can body. This construction is preferably formed on the last end of the ring26 to be pulled out and this hooked construction exists over only a short are of the circumferencer The tail end of the ring 26 in being pulled downwards draws the hooked portion 42 of theskirt 25 down-with it before sufficient pull is exerted todisengage the. parts. Such distortion of the skirt .25 occurs that the hermetic seal is. broken, thus relieving the vacuum in the container and renderingthe top 22 free'to be liftedoff with. the sheet metal band 32.

The sheet metal ring 32 is bound to the freeing ring 26. The tight wire 35 binds both rings to the body of the can. Thismay'all'be accomplished before the interlocking joint is formed between the skirt 29 and the sheet metal ring 32. These parts are shown in initial position 'in Figure 6a where the ends 30*and 3| extend at right angles from the body of the can. While they are in this position the folded edge 24 is pressed,

'rolled or spun to atight contact with the gasket 28 upon the upper portion of skirt 25.

Thereupon the ends 30 and 3| are rolled;'folded 'or'spun into the locked joint, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. This rolled joint is shown as rolled downward, but it may alternatively be rolled in the opposite direction. The freeing ring 26 may consist of one piece, or of two or more rings which 'fit together to form the required cross-sectional goingdescription covers only'a favored'form of the invention which has been selected to make. its

principle clear.

Referring more particularly toFigures '7 to 11 inclusive, instead of-hooking the tail end of the freeing wedge ring 26 to the skirt 25, the skirt 25a. is attached to one end of the wedge ring 26a as by a short wire 43, so that when the wedge or freeing ring 26ahas been'c'omple'tely drawn out :from its position against the container, such end of the ring 260; may be pulled upwards, as indicated in Figure 8. The connecting wire 43, which 1 extends through a groove 44 in the'band 32 and opposite the skirt 29, will act to raise the skirt and hold down the inner skirt-25a; thus releasing the lid 22 and the gasket 28 from off the can. In this way the vacuum is-broken and the cover may be readily removed;

As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the wire 43a may be attached to the gasket 28a instead of to the inner skirt. It is also practicable in certain cases to run the wire 43a between skirt 29 and skirt 25a to a connection with the gasket 28a;

or the wire 43a may, when g'entlypulled, open "-a small vent hole in the wall of the container2l clear of the 1 gasket -28a---to releasethe-- vacuum.

With certain kinds of metal, and in forming joints for various purposes, it may be desirable to omit rolled joint 30, 3| and to tighten binding wire 35a, as shown in Figure 12, at the same time the air-tight joint at 28a is worked into hermetic contact. In this case the freeing ring 26a is reduced in depth perpendicular to the plane of the cover 22 and the teeth 33a are formed directly on the lower end of the skirt 29a.

In-other cases it maybe desirable to substitute a circumferential tearing strip or other conventional detaching device for attaching the sheet metal ring 32 to the freeing ring 26 instead of using binding wire 35. For instance in Figure 13 a tearingstrip is shown at 45 as being on the metal ring 321); while in Figure 14 a tearing strip 46 is shown on the skirt 29b. In either case the part of skirts 29b and 321) left attached to freeing ring 26 may be split opposite the split in freeing ring 26 to permit ready removal of the latter with the breaking of the vacuum after the tearingstrip is removed;

The seal-in Figure 14 may be-readily broken,

without removing freeing ring 26,"after-tea ring strip 46 is removed if the tearing strip is located high enough on skirt 23b to make the gasket accessible to a knife point. A freeing wire similar to 43 in Figures 7 to-11 may" alternately beattached to the tearing strip instead of to freeing ring 26, forthe purpose of breakingthe-vacuum.

In other cases, as shownin Figure 15, it may be advisable toinsert' a wire 41 under] the sheet metal ring 320; This wire maybe an extraturn of the-binding wire 350. Such wire, onbeing pulled out, will spread the teeth of the sheet metal ring 320- to destroy their lock on the freeing r A In other cases it may beadvisable. to 'usea more or less flat co'ver-2 2a, as shown in'Figure l6, having a flange 21 hooked over the'gasket 280. The sheet metal ring 32dis formed with an inwardly and downwardly turned. flange 32c enveloping the flange 21a of the fiat cover 22a.

- It'is obvious that various changes and. modifications may be made in the details of construction anddesign of the above specifically: described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereoflsuch changes and modifications being restricted only'by the scope of the following claims.

.What is claimed is:- A

'1. In a sealed package for'easy opening, including .a receptacle, a closure therefor, and means for releasably sealing said closure in said receptacle, .said means' comprising .an annular flared skirt member having a portion thereof engaging over the upper edge of the receptacle, and another portion extending downwardly and outwardly from said first portion, a reverted skirt member carried by the upper edge of the receptacle, a gasket between the portion of the first skirt" member engaging over the upper edge of the receptacle and the upper edge of the reverted skirt member, a tapered freeing ring disposed beneath said reverted skirt member and beneath a portion ofsaidfirst skirt member, means for releasably compressing a portion of said first skirt member beneath saidring and means for withdrawing 'said freeingring when said compressing means has been released.

- '2. In a sealed package for easy opening, a reand a pull member carried by said freeing member.

3. In a sealed package for easy opening, a receptacle, a closure therefor, an annular flared skirt engaging said closure and extending downwardly from the upper end of said receptacle, an annular flared skirt integral with said receptacle and snugly engaging beneath said first skirt at the upper portion thereof, a freeing ring wedge-shaped in transverse section disposed be neath each of said skirts, means carried by said first skirt and engaging beneath said ring for releasably securing said freeing ring in position and a pull member carried by said ring and projecting therebelow.

4. In a sealed package for easy opening, a receptacle, a closure therefor, a flared skirt integral with said closure and extending downwardly from the upper end of said receptacle, a. flared skirt integral with said receptacle and snugly engaging beneath said first skirt at the upper portion thereof, a ring engaging beneath each of said skirts, means carried by said first skirt and engaging beneath the outer portion of between the upper ends of each of said skirts,

means carried by one of said skirts engaging said ring for compressing said gasket, and a releasing means for said ring.

JOHN NOBLE LAYCOCK. 

